


A dragon in a corn field

by Sternenstaub



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Sharing Clothes, Soft Eskel (The Witcher), Soft Jaskier | Dandelion, Wearing your not yet lovers shirt, Witcher Signs, monster hunting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:26:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26976574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sternenstaub/pseuds/Sternenstaub
Summary: Jaskier just wanted to take a stroll when suddenly a monster attacked him and a witcher comes to his rescue. Of course he can't just let the witcher go, can he?
Relationships: Eskel/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 24
Kudos: 194





	1. Chapter 1

He was running, get away, get away, get away, breathe in, breathe out, run, run, run, don't stumble, breathe, breathe, don't get caught.   
The field should have long since been harvested, rows upon rows of corn taller than him were slowly rotting in the sun, smelling like decay and doom. The ground was slippery and wet, treacherous stones hiding under dead leaves that left a soap like substance. 

He ran. Breathe in, breathe out, choking on a gulp of much needed air when his foot got turned on a stone. Get up. Run. Don't look back. How much longer until he could stop? How much longer until it was futile to breath? 

The crashing behind him told him not to think and to run instead. Leaves grabbed his shirt and roots tripped him up, the plants snarled at him, ripped his skin. In his bloody trail a shadow came closer. The sun blinded him but he heard the scream, the wailing full of pain and hatred. 

It could have almost been a woman, sun kissed and in a beautiful dress, if she hadn't been a screaming, decaying figment of a nightmare, intent to rip out his stomach and soul. Jaskier tripped and felt his knees complain at the treatment. It had been years since he had encountered his last monster, why did he stumble upon one in the middle of the day on a field just a few hours out of town?

The woman that wasn't one anymore approached him slowly, her wails made his skin crawl and every hair on his body stood up. This was it.   
Jaskier closed his eyes, too out of breath to even scream and thought at least his life had been interesting. 

A purple light flashed in front of his closed eyelids, if Yennefer of Vengerberg waited for him in the afterlife, he was going to seriously complain to someone. But instead a metallic clirr stopped his thought. The wailing, that had been getting louder and louder, closer and closer, stopped. A wet gurgle later, Jaskier dared to open his eyes. 

A man easily a head taller than him and twice as broad stood in front of him, they were surrounded by a bright purple glowing sign, he dimly remembered Geralt using one like it, but never as big. The man wielded a sword, probably the silver one, his brain added, always helpful. He couldn't see the not-a-woman anymore and was not exactly sad about it. The slashing, gurgling and sudden silence following it was enough to calm his heart. 

"You okay?" a gruff voice asked without turning around, watching their surroundings for more dangers. Jaskier tried to stand up but his wobbly legs wouldn't allow it. When he fell back with a oomph, the witcher turned around. Gentle yellow eyes looked at him under reddish brown hair and two deep scars ran through his face. Jaskier wondered about the story behind them. He wanted to trail them with his hands, explore their secrets.   
The man noticed him staring and turned his head so the scars were less visible. Jaskier chided himself, of course this gorgeous man would be just as self conscious as Geralt was. 

"Y-yes." he managed to croak, barely able to pump enough oxygen into his lungs not to black out, talking was a real task, "I'm fine. Thank you." He tried to smile at his saviour but wasn't sure he could achieve his normal amount of charisma, this had been really fucking close, way closer than that one time with the Griffin.  
When his second attempt to stand up resulted in the same failure, a big hand reached out to him, offering assistance. Golden eyes stared at him in surprise when he grabbed it without hesitation. "Is it gone?" Jaskier huffed, slowly gaining back his ability to talk and breathe, and wouldn't that have been a big loss to the world if he could not have talked anymore.   
The witcher looked at the slowly rotting corn field again, "Gone for now. I have to find what she's bound to. Go home and stay there until I've come back. Sometimes noonwraiths follow victims they couldn't catch." Jaskier's skin crawled at that thought but his curiosity was stirred. 

"Noonwraith? Are they like normal Wraiths? What are they usually bound to? How do you find that object? Do you think I can help?" the questions flowed out of him and golden eyes looked at him astonished. When the witcher didn't answer, Jaskier remembered his manners, "Jaskier, bard and unwelcome witcher tag-along, at your service. Thank you for saving me." he stretched out his hand that a clearly confused witcher shook. "Eskel." he mumbled. Jaskier recognized that name, Geralt had mentioned it, a wolf witcher, what a coincidence!

"So, Eskel, ever had a bard following you on your hunts?" he asked, trying to look as innocent and charming as possible. He may not have been twenty anymore but his boyish charm still did it's work, thanks to his slightly unusual genetics. Not that his mother had ever admitted as much, imagine the scandal.  
He could have sworn Eskel blushed under the full force of his attention, interesting, he would file that for later, when his heart wasn't trying to jump out of his ribcage anymore.

The witcher looked at him once more and shook his head, "And here I thought Geralt exaggerated." Jaskier laughed, "Not at all dear. But don't listen to his sourly mood. I am a delight to have around."   
Eskel laughed but nodded in the end. "We're looking for something that most likely belonged to a young woman. An old dress, a wedding band, something of sentimental value." Jaskier nodded and gestured to the huge, slowly rotting but still very tall corn field, "And how are we supposed to find something so small here?" 

Eskel grinned at him, not hiding his scars and Jaskier's knees wobbled again but not from the exertion. This man was gorgeous and if he was even half as kind as the last witcher Jaskier had met, he knew he was done for. He never did learn how to steel his heart.   
"Magic." the witcher whispered, for a moment excited like a schoolboy, and wiggled his fingers that sparked tiny purple wisps. Jaskier's eyes grew wide, "Geralt couldn't do that!" Now Eskel laughed truly, a short but deep bark, "He wished he was that good!" 

The whisps started to fly around and Eskel followed those that glowed brighter, Jaskier trailing after him. Whenever he slipped on the muddy ground a strong hand caught his elbow and when he beamed up at the witcher in thanks, Eskel looked away with a faint blush on his cheeks. It didn't take them very long until one of the wisps stopped floating and circled above a spot in the middle of a cornrow. Eskel just cut the plants down instead of walking around or touching them even more. Jaskier was sure he would never be able to wash out the stench and remains of rotten leaves as it was.

There was exactly nothing on the spot but just as Jaskier was about to ask, Eskel took a smaller dagger from his belt and dug into the ground. After just a few seconds, he unburied a small piece of fabric, in it an old golden ring. Behind them, the wailing started again, Jaskier's heart jumped, his body remembering in all clarity that he had been almost a meal just minutes ago. He jumped behind Eskel, who looked surprised but stood with his sword raised in front of him like an impenetrable fortress of muscle. After a few complicated gestures, they were surrounded by a purple glow on the ground again. The wraith was right in front of them but didn't seem to be able to trespass into their circle. Eskel took a deep breath and suddenly fire exploded out of him. Jaskier couldn't see everything but it almost looked like he was breathing fire onto the ring, like a dragon! He would so ask about this later. 

The Noonwraith wailed and while the fire continued to roar, she slowly disintegrated into a pile of ashes. Jaskier whooped and jumped next to Eskel, "You, master witcher, are awesome!" he exclaimed. Eskel rubbed his neck with his left and Jaskier saw him hiding his right hand behind his back. "Wait, are you hurt?" Eskel didn't answer, just turned around towards town, "Let's go bard." he rumbled.  
Jaskier walked up to him, easily able to walk in stride, Eskel was clearly trying to accommodate his speed, but noticed that the witcher was still keeping his hand in a pocket. He decided not to pry until they reached the tavern. If he had learned anything from Geralt it was that witchers didn't like to show weakness.

The town didn't seem to expect this witcher, or any witcher, he heard a few surprised gasps, a few hisses and the tavernkeep refused to look at Eskel. Jaskier almost jumped at them but he wasn't a teenager anymore, he had learned that violence rarely helped and he didn't want to be the reason they were thrown out of town when he could offer a warm room otherwise. Thankfully he still had his room key from the night before. He still wondered how a stroll in the sun had ended in him being almost eaten alive and then meeting another witcher. A small pang in his chest missed Geralt, even after several years of them not seeing each other anymore.

He shook his head and noticed Eskel turning around in the tavern, on his way back outside. Jaskier scoffed and took his sleeve. "And where are you going? Don't think I forgot about your hand." He pulled a very confused witcher after him, smug about the fact that Eskel allowed him to be pulled.   
In the room, Eskel sat down and looked at him, still surprised. "Now, show me that, my dear." Jaskier tried to be gentle, he knew how slow most witchers trusted. He was just thankful Eskel seemed to have heard of him before. 

Hesitantly Eskel pulled his hand out of his pocket, Jaskier was sure the witcher was full on blushing now. "It's nothing, really." he muttered but still showed his hand. It was red and blistering and you could clearly see a circle shape in the middle. "Did you melt the ring in your own hand?" Jaskier gasped and turned around to put a towel in a water basin that had been provided for this morning and not yet taken away. He wrapped the wet towel around Eskel´s hand while the witcher nodded, looking a bit sheepish. "Ground was too wet, I was worried it wouldn't melt." Jaskier tsked but put a thankful hand on the witcher´s shoulder. "I'm sorry you got hurt because of me." he whispered, "We'll put some salve on this later."

"But that was a very impressive display of magic! I didn't know witchers could do that!" worried eyes met his, "I… didn't scare you with this, the fire I mean?" Jaskier scoffed and popped down next to Eskel, "Not at all, I have so many questions!"  
Eskel looked almost relieved and just as Jaskier was about to start his barrage of questions, the witcher´s stomach growled loudly. Jaskier looked at him fondly, "Just a moment, darling, and then I'm going to pick your brain, if you don't object?" Eskel looked at him, golden eyes almost amber in the slowly setting sun and shook his head, "I don't mind." A small smile played over his lips and Jaskier went out to retrieve them dinner.


	2. Chapter 2

Eskel couldn't believe this. Not only had he met a Noonwraith in a field, one without a contract it seemed, he had also met Geralt's bard, or well, former Geralt's it seemed, his brother hadn't talked about him for a few years now. But the man was exactly like he had imagined from the short tales Geralt had told late at night when they had been deep into their cups already.

The brown haired bard came back with stew and a smile like the sun. He barely dared to look into his eyes, afraid to show how curious he was about this guy. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at Eskel with so much open adoration and kindness and it was intoxicating.   
The stew posed a new problem, because Eskel was still clutching the wet towel in his hand, really, he should have found another way to melt the ring than setting himself on fire, but he had panicked a bit with a squishy human so close and yes okay, maybe he also wanted to impress the beautiful man who had so easily looked for shelter behind his back a tiny bit.  
The bowl wobbled on his leg precariously when Jaskier laughed next to him and took it. "Let me." he said and inched closer until their knees bumped into each other. Small hands held his bowl so he could eat with one hand since there was no proper table in the room. 

They exchanged a few awkward smiles and glances, Eskel was honestly not sure what was going on anymore at this point. Once they had both filled their stomachs, Jaskier scooted away and Eskel mourned the contact until he came back with a jar of a nice smelling salve. He could make out honey and several herbs that accelerated wound healing. Jaskier wouldn't hear of his objections that he would be healed by tomorrow anyway. Slightly calloused hands took his right one and massaged the salve into it, Eskel could only in the last moment suppress a groan at the contact. It barely hurt and nobody had held his hand in a very long time.

Blue eyes met his and a mischievous smile played around Jaskier's lips before he pressed his thumb into a point just under his wrist, far away from the actual burn but it felt like his hand was turning into goo. This time, Eskel really groaned.   
"I learned a thing or two how to treat cramped hands when I studied music." Jaskier chuckled and concentrated on another point. After he was done, he took Eskel´s left, even though that was never harmed. He massaged it carefully, making sure to smooth out any cramped up muscles from holding a sword or reins. 

Eskel didn't fully know how to react. There was this beautiful man, sitting on a bed with him, holding his hand and talking about everything and nothing, humming while he concentrated sometimes. He didn't dare to move or breathe, afraid it would break this spell of soft touches and beautiful smiles. 

"So," Jaskier drawled, while he put pressure on a sensitive point that made Eskel moan again, not caring any longer about the noises he made just as long as he could enjoy this some more, "You know about me, know what I do. Would you mind it terribly if I tagged along and wrote songs about your hunts?" He didn't look up but Eskel could smell his nervousness. He wondered why this bard was so unsure when he was already putty in his hands. 

Eskel cleared his throat, unbelieving to get such an offer so freely. He knew how much easier Geralt's life had been with his bard and never understood why he had been so grumpy about it. "If you won't get bored by it." he managed to answer, looking away. He was sure this would not last a long time, most likely the arrangement wouldn't survive this week. Eskel was not beautiful and charismatic like the white wolf, he was not snarky and funny like Lambert, he was disfigured and boring, Jaskier would be fed up soon. But he promised himself to enjoy the time he got. He had been lonely long enough to learn his lesson.

Wide blue eyes smiled up at him and a wave of honey and happiness flooded the room. Eskel could feel his chest constrict at so much unbridled joy directed at him. They were interrupted by a huge yawn from Jaskier. He blushed scarlet red up to his ear and Eskel couldn't stop smiling at it. He just hoped his face didn't look too scary with the scars and the smile.

"I'll return your bed then." he chuckled and tried to stand up but was surprised to notice Jaskier refused to release his hand. Confused blue eyes met his, "You're not staying?" he asked, hurt in his voice. Eskel looked at him dumbfounded, he hadn't even entertained the idea that Jaskier, a man he had just met today and who saw him slay a wraith right in front of him, would want him to stay, he had just planned to look for a stable or any dry place to spend the night. It had been clear this town wouldn't rent him a room.

When he looked around for a place on the floor that might be slightly less uncomfortable than the rest, Jaskier rolled his eyes and tugged him down again, "Bed is big enough for two." he said, before he scooted up and threw away his shirt. They were both dirty and sweaty but Eskel wasn't sure if this was fine for his new acquaintance. He looked around, slightly panicked, this bed was certainly not big enough for two grown men, and most certainly not if one of them was Eskel but Jaskier seemed unbothered. A gentle smile looked up from the other end of the bed and he shrugged his mental shoulders. Eskel just hoped he wouldn't break what was only forming.

Taking off his shirt, happy to get the dirt away from him, he wiped his chest down with the towel formerly used to cool down his hand. It was ridiculously small and barely helped but at least he tried. Jaskier chuckled and watched him, pupils blown wide. Eskel was sure he was blushing under the attention but didn't really mind it. They were both shirtless and otherwise perfectly respectable clothed, somehow it still felt very intimate.

He tried to lie in the bed without taking too much space, without crowding the bard but Jaskier didn't seem to have the same hesitations. “Tell me if you´re too hot or just don't like it. I cling at night, night as well start with it.” he mumbled sleepily, the day must really catch up to him now, and hugged Eskels back. Slotted together like two missing pieces, arms wrapped around his chest and a nose buried at his neck, warm breaths tickling his skin, Eskel barely dared to breath. He was sure he was already dreaming, things like this didn't happen to him. Eskel fell asleep slowly but his dreams were softer than he would have dared to hope.

The next morning he woke up with a shiver, his back was cold and he was confused, usually he did not sleep through people walking around. But Jaskier had made so much noise all the time in his sleep, mumbling, humming, shuffling around and pulling Eskel closer that he must have stopped noticing it in his sleep. Said bard was walking around the room, tiptoeing until he saw Eskel´s open eyes watching him. “Good morning darling!” he beamed at him, very chipper, “I was just about to get us breakfast but I fear I don't have a clean shirt available. You don't mind, do you?” he asked with big blue eyes, holding Eskel´s spare shirt in his hands.  
His throat constricted at the thought but he couldn't just say no without embarrassing himself, so he just nodded.

Beaming at him with a flush on his cheeks, Jaskier threw Eskel´s shirt on, it was ridiculously huge and slipped down one of his shoulders. Eskel had to remind himself to breathe and not grab this man he had just met yesterday and kiss him.   
With a knowing smirk Jaskier sauntered out of the room just to come back with bread, cheese and a smile on his lips a moment later. Flopping himself down on the bed again, borrowed shirt billowing around him and slipping even further down, he reached some of the bread over and the both ate in silence.  
Eskel took the food but couldn't stop noticing the pale shoulder and chest hair peeking through the shirt. He wondered if Jaskier would dress like this more often. He certainly wouldn't complain. He might even get himself an extra shirt then.   
Jaskier saw him looking and winked at him. "We'll spend a lot more time together, darling. Nothing there you won't see anyway on the road." Eskel wondered if he would get his shirt back and if it would smell like Jaskier for days. If all his clothes would soon smell like the bard. He could only hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, they definitely need one more chapter to kiss. Or for Eskel to faint from forgetting to breathe.


	3. Chapter 3

A week later they had fought a kikimora and a warg, had been stoned out of a village once and Jaskier had stolen Eskels shirt with a cheeky grin 3 more times. The bard still seemed to be happy and flourish at Eskel's side and he could scarcely believe it. Right now Jaskier was sitting on a log, writing down some new lyrics, humming to himself with his tongue peeking out now and then in concentration. 

Eskel had finished sharpening his sword and was entranced by the shadows the fire projected on Jaskier's face. He looked so young and unearthly but his eyes seemed to be so full of a kindness a young soul couldn't have yet. He was an enigma and Eskel hoped he'd get enough time to unravel it. 

This week had been one of the happiest of his life. They didn't share a bed again, not even the bedrolls but the bard had something cheerful about him, Eskel had talked more about novels and plays and poems in this one week than in the last 10 years together.   
They argued and laughed and sometimes he almost forgot this wouldn't last. 

"And then they used the name Natalia for a play that was supposedly playing in 800 temeria, can you believe?" Jaskier ranted, barely looking where he walked, Eskel walking next to him, leading his horse. When he stumbled, Eskel caught his arm in reflex, this happened at least 3 times a day, and Jaskier beamed up at him. What was new however was the small kiss he put on Eskel's cheek, right on his scars, before he walked like nothing happened. 

Stunned Eskel looked after the bard, definitely not admiring his well build thighs and backside, until he shook out of his stupor and followed again. The smell of honey and pine greeted him when he caught up and Jaskier hummed a jaunty tune. 

On their first day on the road the bard had been hesitant to sing and play until Eskel had asked why he stopped in the middle of a tune so often. Jaskier had looked at him with huge eyes and flushed bright red, stammering an apology of how he hadn't noticed he'd been singing and that he'd stop being annoying. A wave of sour regret had surrounded him and Eskel had almost hugged him in comfort. Instead he had asked him what this song he had been humming was called and they ended up talking about music theory for 2 hours. Since then Jaskier sang freely and quite often asked what Eskel would like to hear, rolling his eyes when the answer was "Everything sounds great in your voice."

Like that they spent an enjoyable week and Eskel thought they might even become friends. The bard had a quick mind and was vicious when you least expected it. Eskel had to hold him back from jumping a tavernkeep who spit into his drink once and an alderman who did not want to pay was threatened with a vicious ditty that would destroy his town's reputation forever. Eskel had fought hard not to laugh at the face the alderman had made when handing him his coin.

He thought about all this while watching the bard, not noticing it had become outright staring. His eyes followed those elegant hands and the small pink tongue that slipped out now and then. He was so entranced, he startled when Jaskier called him. "Darling, what's going on in that pretty head of yours?" the very same bard asked with a bright grin, putting his writing aside and stepping closer. Eskel was glad he couldn't blush and turned his head away, so Jaskier wouldn't see his scars. It was stupid, he knew Jaskier didn't mind them, knew he had seen them every day for a week now, but still, it was ingrained into him not to show them at this point. 

Jaskier tsked and scooted even closer, "Don't do that." he said, sad blue eyes looking up at him, "You are pretty. You're one of the best and most handsome men I've ever had the pleasure to meet." Soft fingertips graced his cheek, ghosted over his pulse point and rested on his neck. He was so close, Eskel could feel his breath and smelled honey and pine surrounding him like a fog. He couldn't take his eyes away from the blue pools of kindness looking up at him. He tried to smile, tried to show how much this meant to him and got a small smile back. 

"You know, there's something I've wanted to do since we met. I hope I don't presume too much." Jaskier said, so close that his breath tingled on Eskels lips and put a second hand on his neck, embracing him now. He was basically sitting in Eskel´s lap now and their eyes locked together. When Eskel grabbed his hip to steady him and didn't throw him off, Jaskier seemed to get braver, the smell of honey was all he could think of when soft warm lips met his own. Their connection felt like magic, warming him down to his very bones and filling a cave in his chest he hadn't known existed.

With fervour he kissed back, pulling the soft warm man in his lap closer until their chests touched and he could barely tell where one body began and the other ended. A hot tongue asked for entrance and with a moan he granted it, tasting honey and the rabbit they had for dinner. Eskel grabbed Jaskier's back, holding him tight and stood up, carrying the bard without breaking the kiss. Jaskier giggled and held close, embracing him without a hint of fear. 

He carried him to his bedroll, waiting for Jaskier to object but he just hugged him harder and kissed him with a muttered "About time, darling." before he let himself gleefully fall back, pulling Eskel over his smaller frame. Surrounded by a huge witcher on all sides, most humans didn't like that, on more than one occasion Eskel had to stop what he was doing and change positions because his partner started smelling of fear but Jaskier smelled like honey, pine and something spicy that must be his arousal. Deft hands started to unbutton his shirt and he kissed the happy looking bard again, nibbled on his neck until he moaned and was sure to leave a mark for days. Jaskier gave as good as he got and tried to mark Eskel as well. And wasn't that a thought? A human who wanted to be marked and mark him, who wanted to show they belonged together.

Eskel let his hands wander over a well built chest and saw the heat rise in the man under him. With a small smirk he ripped open the rest of Jaskier's shirt, at the indignated outcry he nibbled his ear, "You can wear mine again until we fix it." Goosebumps formed under his ministrations and Jaskier nodded breathless.

The next morning Jaskier did indeed wear Eskel´s shirt and hummed a happy tune. The ripped shirt however was in Eskel´s saddlebags with strict instructions on how to mend it. Eskel laughed at that and thought he'd probably get a lot of practice mending clothes if the way Jaskier looked at him, wetting his lips, was anything to go by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I ended their story well. It's really just the beginning but for now I can't really write a second long fic. Maybe one day they'll get the love and words they deserve. Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> There will likely be just 2 chapters and the second is almost done.


End file.
